Tuesday, December 31, 2013

January was the start of the restoration of the truck.. The
old body came off of the 91 Ford to be used for the 1947.

With me... I decided to do what I called Garage art. I
painted a picture for each one of the kids...and one for my husband. You got to
understand.. I don't paint.. So it was a cross between Grandma Moses and kindergarten.

February brought word that a friend had died the November
before. He died alone... so sad.. He was a great Beatles fan and old time music
and such a lost to his friends.. he would be surprised.

March brought a new Pope... that even people like myself,
who are not Catholic, think he is a great guy... and here being December we all
still the same.

April brought a bombing in Boston, Which were caught,
thanks to good camera work and witness... and Boston rallied with Boston Strong.

Maybrought the rods and old cars out of the garages and
into our Lost in the 50's parade...

And sunshine, and hopes of starting our gardens...

June brought flowers, and planting of the garden.. and
yard art.

and sadly a young man named Snowden.. who stole computer files
and ran to China and then to Russia...

July, brought 4th of July.. parades and cook outs.

Sadly Martin and Zimmerman became buzz words in the nation.

I walked my second
3K walk and my legs didn't fall off...

And the lost of my dear friend Virginia.

August brought news of 3 people close to me, who found out
they have cancer... so again.. CANCER.. DAMN YOU.. DAMN YOU TO HELL.

We had two 50 year olds in August in our family...

And the painting of the 1947 Ford body parts by our sons.

September brought government shuts down...
and garden slow downs.

Picking everything out of the garden, and processing the
veggies.

Sadness as Labor Day reminds us that summer is over.

October brought the shutting down of the yard, wrapping up
the hoses, the last roses of the summer, and Halloween on the rising.

It also was when I got to see my tombstone had been
installed at the beach. It is a bench
for grandparents to sit with their grandchildren like I did.

November brought Thanksgiving ....

Sadly the mess of trying to get Affordable Care Insurance...as the computers clogged up.. is that a surprise?

And the 50th anniversary of the shooting of JFK.

December... ah, the end of the year.. and we all wonder where
did the year go.

So this was the year, that the King finally is getting work
done on the truck..

I have been drove nuts by my possessed computer too many times,
and over all we have been blessed with good health.. we have a roof over our
heads, food for our mouths, vehicles that get us from point a to point b.. so
far.. Our children are all safe and
health as our grandchildren and great grandchildren...

So hope you have had as well.. and as you say good by to
2013 tonight.

Be careful out there... we? we will be celebrating our usual
New York style.

Giving each other a kiss at 9pm (it will be midnight in New
York) and say good night.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

It is always so neat to
watch a kid walk up to the Christmas tree, on Christmas morning..Even if you put the tree up early.. it is
still cool when the kid first sees
it...Their eyes lit up, with the color
of the bulbs, and wonder of it
all... how tall it is.. the tinsel that hangs, the lights that come on..
and blink...It is a wonder land for
them.

And then the morning of
Christmas... the excitement as they run to the tree... all the
presents... and if there is any that aren't wrapped, like a bike.. well, it is
over the top.Trying to slow them down
is a trip and half... trying to
write down who sent what to them... is not easy either... when they are
toddlers.. they don't understand the need

to thank those who sent
presents. It is just all this color and
all this paper that they can tear
off..They will even do yours, if you
aren't careful....And how many of us have let them help us
unwrapours?

But when they get to be
teens, it isn't the same. Kind of nice, when the teen appreciates the
trials and errors of getting the right present.

But after they are grown and
moved away.. well, it just isn't the same. You get to the point, you
don't care if you put up a tree or not.After all, it is just another day,
just like your birthdays become...

And that is why God gave us
grandchildren... (smile)

But even they grow up and
move on...

So Christmas comes.... it is
coffee and maybe some coffee cake, as you stroll into the
living room... you pick up the present for your spouse and hand it to them..
and you pick up your own... .............

You open it... tell them
thank you, give them a kiss... sit and watch what ever is on the
television that morning... drinking your coffee.

Oh, yea... you might look at
each other and say.. Merry Christmas.

That is why I would never do
Christmas as some others do.. open the presents on Christmas
Eve...after all, when you get up
Christmas morning what is there to do??? sure
is a big let down... and makes me sad.

Makes it just another day,
like yesterday or tomorrow.

No big deal.

So live Christmas thru your
kids, and grandkids eyes... and enjoy it. They grow fast.. AND TO ALL
MY READERS...

His was on one side of the
house and mine on the other side. With the stair case
between...

Mine had the door ... tiny
as it was.. to the attic. The attic

consisted of, more of a crawl
space. It slanted with the house eves. About 4 feet high at
the wall side, and a foot as the eve side.

The door was only on one
side. I don't know why there wasn't a door on the other side, as
the crawl space was equal on each side.

BUT... I could remove my
bottom draw from my built-in the wall dresser.I could crawlthru the hole and come out in the crawl space.And I could travel down the side of the
house to where my brother's bedroom
was.I would crawl down from time to time and make noises on his
wall... and then crawl back fast to my side, in thru the
drawer slot and put the drawer back. So when my brother would get
upset and tell Mom, I was doing something to his
wall.. I would be at my door and deny everything.This worked for years. Until my brother got older.

And faster...

and I left my
door open....

and he caught me coming back thru the hole.

When Mom and Dad would go
out on "date" night, I got stuck with making dinner.I was making hamburgers. We didn't have buns, we had white bread
slices.So I had put mustard on one side, ketchup on the other
side.. and if it was a good night, cheese.

But one night, I had put the
bread together, while I was cooking the hamburger.I turn around and went to put the meat in
the sandwich. His was gone.So I put my meat in mine.. and I sat down
and ate it.

We sat there eating for a
few minutes... then it dawns on him, there is no meat in his.Hey, it wasn't my fault he grabbed the bread too soon.

Then there is the time, when
I HAD to take him to the Saturday morning movie show. He was a
real pain.

Running up and down the aisle, wanting
candy...Well, one day he was in the
bathroom, and laughing because he had
chocolate candy, and I did not. I was mad... where did you get
that candy, I demanded! He told me I couldn't have any as he ate it all and laughed.. He showed me the wrapper and box...
Heck at the age of 11, I didn't know what

EX-LAX was. All I knew was, he didn't get to go to the
movies the next day.Then when I got home, and was laughing about
how he had to stay home... he TOLD MOM, that I
GAVE to him...no explaining was going

to get me out of that one... Just for the recorded.. I didn't and I
didn't know what EX-LAX was. But I did think it was

funny.

Now that we are older, we
still do things, but on a much milder side.Getting cards that are funny and gets to the
other.And when I send him his birthday
card, I usually give him advise of what he will be facing when he gets
my age. I am 4 years older.

Now we have a card that we
send back and forth to each other.

Same card.. just signed
again. it is on its 3rd year.

This year
I stuck in a small book with
what was going on the year he was born.

Also came across some
cassettes that Mom sent me in the 1970's, with them talking on it..
with his brother in law as well... funny, as when they were talking
politics, they could havebeen talking
like it was today.

I guess tormenting the
sibling, runs in the family. My father who was 2 years older than his
kid brother, still did and they were in their 80's.

SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KID...
from the old lady sister... Hang in there, next year you will be
70... and the best is yet to come.So jump in.. the water is
fine.. Being 70 is a blast.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

So if you haven't got one
from me..or us.. then you aren't getting one.

I have the few presents that
I give away.. taken care of.. The baskets are all done and all but two
are delivered.So that means my Christmas cooking is over...
Thank God for that.I am so sick of
sweets.

And all the given sweets are
eaten, I believe... with maybe one zucchini bread left.My body is rebelling. It is asking what
happen to the good food.

The green salads, fish and
chicken.. What is with all this sweet stuff. And bloating with sugars and
salts, from all of it and the flour, that I normally don't eat.

Got all the Christmas lights
up in the yard and loving that...but not loving the idea that in little over
a week from now, they come down and have to

go back up into the top
shelf of the garage. But don't want to
think about that.. just enjoying the
moment for now.And talking to the King
about taking a ride around town
and see other's. We haven't done that for a year

or so. Use to take the
grandson around to show him..but that really is YEARS ago.

So ready or not.. this is
it... let's get this over with.

As you can see I don't do
Christmas well. Almost a bah, humbug
type of person. I lighten up about
noon on Christmas afternoon or night.

So if you aren't back here
before Christmas.. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all.

the children and care for
the parents. In those days, the wife was the one who did most of
it, as she didn't work.

Then wives started with
careers of their own. But still with

so many children, there was
enough support system. Some

would chose to stay the
night with the parents. Each choosing a night.

But now, that the boomers
are coming into the scene.. it is

the years of fewer
children.. The family average was 2 children.. Where in the 1940 and even
50's it was anywhere from 4 to 8 children.

With fewer children, there
is also the moving to different states from where the family home
is.. Children are spread all over the states.So the support system is lessen. And some
times strained.Especially if one child is still in the area
of the parents, and the rest are far away.
Leaving most of the support on that one child. Sometimes there
are the out of area children who, maybe by guilt, complain
about the care of the parents. And of course, the one or ones
left in the town, aren't too thrilled with the siblings who
complain but don't come help. Too busy, as if the ones in town,
don't have a life and aren't busy. Leaving a strain relationship all
the way around.

But now, as the boomers get
older.. and the next generation coming up.. some without children..
where is the caretaking support system going to be?Will strangers or friends, neighbors, be picking out caretakers and
health

care centers for those who
have no children.

So where will be the family
caretakers? And who will be taking care
of you?

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The King and I don't
entertain often... we do a Thanksgiving with the family... and once in
year we do a dinner for friends.

We are more of the, come to
the house for a back yard cook out.

We do more of ours in the
summer...

It is always nice when it
all comes together. And even tho some might think we will kill each
other before the meal is done... they would get a better picture
of it after... When the meal is done and friends have gone home.Because that is when we put things away, and clean up... and during
this time.. we bond and talk over how it all went.. what worked well, and
what we would change the next time..

And how lucky we are to have
such great friends.

Summer backyard cook outs
are easy.. just open it, cook it, and then put it on the table, and
when it is over, throw the plates, cups and utensils away. Almost a wrap up the paper
table cloth and throw in the trash.

Winter ones, are put it all
ways, put the dishes in the dish washer with the forks, spoons and
knives.Then take them all out and put them away until next time. Wash
the table cloth and napkins.

We do have containers for
our guest to fill up for later, so we don't have much food left
over.Which we are glad to share with
everyone.

So how do you do? Do you and
your spouse, work together and talk after, enjoying how things
went?

Monday, December 16, 2013

Like men, I tend not to
follow directions.. I read them, get the jiff of them and then go with
what I want.Lots of times that turns out well for me.. (in case
you were going to ask) but some days..

well, I should have clean
the bathroom with a toothbrush.. it would have been better day.

I have in my freezer a
container.. with the strongest lemon glob, that I know I can use it for
something... just got to figure out what.It was originally lemon bars. But
the bars turn out like cement on the pan.

The top was fine.. hence
that is why I saved it. Which will be a challenge as I love lemon
anything.. but the King positive hates lemon.

Then there was the deal of
mixing and micro waving.. and mixing 30 seconds later.. and
microwave again..NOTmicrowave for 1 minute..

as you can see, that didn't
work out for me.. Well, I shouldn't say
it didn't work.. as I had
plenty of work for me.. as you can see.

It spilled all over the
microwave.. and I had to clean the mess and then the walls, and the ceiling
of the microwave.. NOT MY FAVORITE thing to do.

Yep, some day's cleaning the
bathroom would have been better and easier to clean.

But the holidays always has
a way of its own. Then throw in computer problems.. well, it like
someone is squirreling with my scramble brain.

Did my Christmas cards
before Thanksgiving.. sent them all out but the great-grandchildren the last
week of November. So that is done..

Then there is Christmas
decorations.. which that is done now.. and the gifts..and I think I have that
done.. never know when someone is going to slip you up with a
surprise.Over all we don't gift.. but
we do give out baskets to our friends.And now I have those 99% done... just have to put them together.And give them.

Also around this time we do
some entertainment ... we are not party people, but we do invite some people
over for dinner.. occasionally. And we have that coming up on Sunday.

And my youngest daughter
(only local child) and I get together for a cooking session. Usually do it at
her house, but this year we are doing it at my house.

On Saturday. Always a fun
time, full of laughter and joy.

I use to multi-task very
well when I was younger.. But now.. with this old brain, I feel more like I am juggling
things in the air and hoping to take care of which comes down.
lol...I will be so glad when January 2nd
comes, of 2014.

He starts walking with me
and says, I wasn't talking about you. I
said, Oh,so you don't consider me a
woman?NO, no, you are putting words in
my mouth.

And then I put the finally
nails into it... "Oh, you know how you like to cook?

Well, you can't do that...
after all... outside work, men's work.. not in the kitchen.

And this has been a running
joke for years since... Costing him,
from time to time.Like the time I asked him to take the garbage
out while I put a new bag in... and he
repeated those words.. "inside work, women's work....outside work, men's
work..." and laughed.. but wasn't laughing

so hard, when I placed the
sack out on the deck, and told him.. it was now outside, in his
territory....

He even tells the grandchildren that.. and now as men, they
are repeating it..so guess I better educate
the granddaughters..

Which
leaves me to yesterday... see I have a wireless phone at home.
That phone gives me the chance to call any where I want with
no extra charge and it has caller id, that is free. And $20 less than
my phone bills were before.... Works fine, although sometimes the
sound is slightly delayed, so you might interrupt someone who is
talking because they took a breath, so you thought they were finished.
But it is easy to overcome.

Have
had it a year. So far so
good.......UNTIL yesterday.

I
went to call a company... beep, beep and that was it.. Tried

the
different phones in the house, to see if it was the phone or the
system.It was the system.Which left me with NOW what?

After
all, it isn't like the old landline, where you go to the neighbor and
call on their phone and you get the office and help. This was what
do I do, how do I call wireless?Finally came up with the go
to the Verizon site.Figured out how to
do a instant chat with a
representative, who found out that the Verizon wireless was out of
service in my area... So it was a matter of waiting until they got it
fixed.Which was only about 15
minutes.Not bad at all Verizon,

but
I guess I got at the tail end, as it went out around 6am. I discovered it
at 8am.But for those minutes while I
tried to figure out what to do,...
how to get a hold of the company... it was frustrating, and a little isolated.Thank goodness my internet was not thru
them.. so I had a
choice.But figured out .. I depend on
electronics way too much.

but
it is the necessary evil. Don't even
want to go to the subject of
what goes on in my mind when my computer goes belly up.

(Crossed
fingers), everything is good at this time.

Oh,
yea, the phone call.. seems there is a LOOOOOOOOOOONG list
for repairs of pipes... so it is take a number, so to speak and wait.

There
were over 400 calls since Friday of pipes freezing and some breaking...
so it is the waiting game.Luckily they
are on vacation so it
isn't as bad as it could be. And hopefully it will be fixed before they get
home.

First
off, we had the arctic wind of the north...come down from Alaska
and freezing everything.So Friday I
went over to put the faucets
on to the dripping system..TOO LATE..
the pipes already froze.The King tried to see if it was an easy fix
with temps up in
the house.. but not to be.So it was
called the plumber. And the
answer was not good.

Seems the door to the skirting had been
left off.. and the wind whipped under the house and froze everything....AND.. broke the pipes at least at two
places.

So
turn off the water at the street level... turn off the water heater...and
put a space heater under the house early Sat. morning.Got it up
to 30 even though it was 5 below by that afternoon.Heard air in the
lines.

The
plumber is to be back to day to fix the breaks and hope the two are
the only ones.. and putting up insulation type door that the King made
for them..So hoping by sun set
everything will be back like normal.

Also,
they turn off their paper route.. and someone didn't give the message
to the deliver guy, as there was papers all over the place.

So
got that stopped.. now if you can get the water to go.. they will be in
good shape.

Thursday, December 05, 2013

One
of my very favorites, and the only time I miss my cell phone, is
in box stores. Any spouse who has lost track of their spouse in a
box store.. knows what I mean.. Up and down the aisles...

up
and around the side aisles.. and just before you are ready to
kill such spouse, there they are... And just as ticked off as you are.Cell phones eliminated that.

If
you are walking down the sidewalk on a beautiful day, and

some
one comes up behind you .... talking... you turn around to see
if it is you they are talking to. And women (don't know if men have
the same trouble) when you are in the bathroom, and the woman
in the next stall, starts talking.. you answer.. not once but maybe
twice before it dawns on you... that you are an idiot.. because

she
was on her cell phone. In line at the
grocery store, yakkity, yakkity,
yak... You really don't want to hear how her toe nail was infected
and what she did.. or her boyfriend is a jerk and yada, yada,
yada...

And
NOW, they are talking about letting people use their cell phones on
PLANES... not texting,but talking...
Can you imagine... being trapped
on a plane with over 200 people, talking and talking and talking
for 3, 4, or 6 hours,( if you are going to Hawaii.)..OH, MY GOD..

It
isn't because I am so perfect. My mother must have put the fear
of God in me as a kid.. because even if you leave a dish at
my house... with food still in it.. I can't wait to clean it and get it
back to you.. after all .... it isn't mine.